To What Cost to its Continental Hegemonic Standpoint: Making Sense of South Africa’s Xenophobia Conundrum Post Democratization

Abstract

From the 1940s, a period where the National Party (NP) came into power and destabilized African and Southern Africa’s political dynamics, South Africa became a pariah state and isolated from both the African and African political realms and, to some extent, global spectrum(s). The domestic political transition period (1990-1994) from apartheid to democracy further changed Pretoria’s continental political stance. After the first-ever democratic elections in 1994, where the African National Congress (ANC) was victorious, South Africa was regarded as a regional and continental hegemon capable of re-uniting itself with continental and global politics and importantly uniting African states because of its relatively robust economy. However, the demise of apartheid brought immense opportunities for other African migrants to come and settle in South Africa for diverse reasons and bring a new enemy in xenophobia. Post-1994, xenophobia has rattled South Africa driven (albeit not entirely) by escalating domestic social ills and foreign nationals often being blamed for this. Using a qualitative methodology supplemented by secondary data, this article ponders xenophobia in post-democratization South Africa and what setbacks this has had on its hegemonic standpoint in Africa post the apartheid era.

Why unending? Migrations and the political economy of the xenophobic conflict in South Africa: a systematic review

“…The concept of xenophobia, like many other terms in sociopolitical discourse, faces a challenge in defining it com prehensively [3]. To avoid the pitfalls of previous attempts to conceptualize this phenomenon, let's focus on its various manifestations within the African context.…”

“…The theory applies at both individual and group levels, suggesting that economically vulnerable individuals are more likely to exhibit xenophobic attitudes towards immigrants perceived as competitors for limited resources [3,20]. This feeling of threat arises from uneven power relations between dominant and subordinate groups.…”

The Three Facets of Xenophobia in Post-Apartheid South Africa: The Migrant, the State, and the Local Citizen. A Reflection

“…According to the Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa (CORMSA, 2010), localized competition for political (formal and informal) and economic power is the leading cause of xenophobia toward immigrant nationals in certain places. Leaders frequently organize locals to attack and drive out foreigners, increasing their political, economic, and personal dominance within the local community (Mlambo & Mlambo, 2021). Along with national authorities, municipal officials have also employed anti-immigration rhetoric in their election campaigns (Dlamini et al, 2020).…”